Nostaligia
by grlvct
Summary: Long before Wanderer shows up in Melanie's body, a new human girl is welcomed to the community. She has lost everything and everyone with the Souls taking over. Will being with humans again give her what she has longed for? Or will her conflicted feelings lead to more pain?


**So I understand a lot of people are in love with o'wanda and jelanie because trust me I LOVE them too. But even though I know most people will hate me for doing this I shall write this fanfiction and hope for the best. I am using my own first name in it not just because I wish to be closer to Max Irons (hehe) but I feel like it's not all that bad of a name lol. Thank you for reading! Also since I am writing this the night The Host came out, I would like to clarify that I have actually read the book. But I might use some things from the movie that differ from the book. Like I thought the white and silver with the Seekers was better. I liked it better that everything wasn't so dark and they had lights on the walls and ceilings in the movie so it's also gonna be like that. This takes place long before Melanie/Wanda come to the human community. **

I hated this world. That might seem like what most teenagers would say about life but this was different. The world isn't like it used to be. I look around and see the same things, see the same people. But they look back at me with silver linings around their pupils.

The running is what bothers me the most. I can't stay in one spot for more than two weeks without the worry of being caught_, of becoming one of them_. They try to make it seem like it's all fine and dandy taking over our world and stealing our bodies. When I turn on the TV_, if I find one_, the peaceful garbage they try to pass off as entertainment works better than zzzquil. Not that that the stuff stills exists anymore though. I've seen the damn things walk in and out a hospital in minutes. With their new technology everything seems simple. Doesn't seem fair to me.

I find myself trying to hate the souls. They sure as hell deserve a few good kicks in the face for taking my family away from me. But they seem so kind. I know taking over a planet isn't alright but they seem to think they helped us. I don't know what I want anymore, do I want to have the world back? _Of course_. Do I want to kill these things? _Well that's the issue_. Sometimes I have to check the mirror to make sure my own eyes aren't glowing. I wish it wasn't that hard to forget. I am still human.

If someone told me years ago that they were human I would probably laugh and say, "Great Analogy." Now they are hard to come by. I haven't seen a human since I ran from home. That was six years ago when I was seventeen and afraid. The fear is still there just for different reasons.

The only way to eat is to steal and I am very good at stealing. That's how I've survived so long. A few tricks here and there helped me along the way. I made long journeys to get to Arizona all the way from New York. Less people here to find you. I made color contacts to make me look like them, though I only wear them when I have to. I could have used them to go get things for free but I always worried that they didn't look exact. No one could reproduce that glow. But when Seekers came looking at a quick glance it made me seem normal to them. I watched them for a while before I started driving anywhere. They all obeyed by the law. In New York if you weren't going 20 miles above the speed limit then you were going 20 miles under. We liked fast there. I would steal a bunch of cars and stop for sleep and food. Never would I picture myself here but other than Utah it seemed like a good place to go.

My eyes had been hurting so I decided to lay off the contacts for a while; I never wore contacts back when there were mostly humans. _Perfect vision_. So tonight I had to steal. In through the back and keep an eye for cameras was the hardest thing to do. They didn't have security, why would you need any in a perfect world?

The only thing that put me on the edge was a truck outside the store. I brushed it off because it wasn't a silver seeker car and no Soul would be around here at this time. Entering in the place I listened for any movement of some kind, none. Just to be sure I kept my breath at ease, no deep breaths and no short breaths.

I craved for some Salt and Vinegar chips right now. Maybe I could find some chocolate chip Quaker bars in aisle-

My thoughts stopped when I was pushed roughly into the nearest wall. A gasp escaped my lips as I was whirled around. _I was going to be caught_. It was too dark in here, which was a good thing as I looked at the assumed Soul that just caught me. No glow. _Human._ There were humans alive!

"You-You're a human." I choked out. A flashlight burned my eyes without a response. Well they might be human by the sure didn't have any manners.

Finally a voice spoke up, "What is it, Jared?"

Jared, the one who must have held the flashlight, lowered it. "She's human." Was it me or did the room seem a little lighter? I could make out his face almost perfectly. And what a face it was. "Are you with anyone?" The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled at me.

I shook my head no. "Obviously _you_ aren't," I peered over his shoulder. There were three other humans with him. "I can't believe you're humans."

He laughed, "I can't believe we found another human. Jared Howe." He stuck his hand out after backing up a few steps.

I grasped it, "Victoria Martin."

He introduced me to the others. Brandt, Kyle, and Ian. They lived with more humans. I couldn't believe it still. I had found a way not to be alone anymore, I had found them. Well being pushed against a wall because you were thought to be a seeker, but close enough. I owned little since I moved around a lot and it was in the backpack I had on me. The second they offered me to go with them I couldn't be happier. No way was I going back to being on the run. Jared had explained that they lived safely. That _I _would be safe with them.

Turns out that truck was theirs, I helped them load food into it before we left.

"I'm sorry about this Victoria but do you mind us blind folding you on the way there. Not that it's gonna be any problem you staying with us but we gotta talk to Jeb first, it's his place." Ian said.

Kyle let out a deep chuckle, "And he will never let us forget it."

"Yeah and we will never forget your big head." Ian shot back, earning a punch in the arm from Kyle.

"S'cuse my brother for being an idiot."

Ah so that's why they looked alike. I guess they were lucky to at least have some family left. I let them blindfold me, the only knowledge I had that we were moving was the vibrations felt through the car. I wanted to pass the time with more questions.

"Do you have family Jared?" I asked in the direction I thought him to be in.

He paused for a few seconds before answering. "Acquired, yes. Biological, none that are probably human still. What about you?"

"They're all gone now. I had my parents and two brothers. All that's left is different eyes and controlled bodies. Probably still in New York."

A low whistle came from my right where Kyle sat. "Damn that's a long trip."

"I'm sorry about your family." The voice I recognized to be Ian's said.

I shrugged, "We've all lost someone."

The rest of the conversation revolved around my contacts and my trip here. Surprisingly no one asked about my life before. I figured they would stop after they heard about my family. Hours seemed to pass before the car stopped. Two hands helped me out of the car, one hand stayed on my elbow as they helped steer me through what seemed more darkness.

"Once Jeb meets you, we'll give you the grand tour."

"What are we in, a cave?" I asked.

Ian's amused voice answered, "Classified." I wish he could have seen me roll my eyes under the thin fabric.

Suddenly a new voice came, seeming a few feet away from me. "Well what do we got here? I'm guessing it's human since it ain't knocked out."

The blindfold was untied from my head. I just realized that there was light. I looked around seeing that in fact we were in a cave like thing, only it was much bigger and seemed kinda homie. I then realized all the humans around me. That new voice came from an older man that was closer to me than the other new humans.

"Jeb, this is Victoria. We found her raiding the same store as us." Kyle spoke for me.

Jeb smiled at me, I guess most of us would smile at another human considering there weren't much left of us. "You wanna live with us kid?"

He was very blunt with things, I liked that. I offered him a smile of my own, "Very much so."

"Welcome to your new home then."

After being introduced to mostly everyone I finally got that tour. Jared was given the task of doing so and I couldn't find it in myself to be at all bothered by that. I also couldn't deny that I would enjoy my new living quarters for the time being. A young boy, Jamie, offered for me to sleep with him. He said he was small enough for us both to be comfortable together. I gladly accepted the offer so that they wouldn't have to worry much. Then I learned he lived with Jared.

"These are the bathing and restroom facilities. But be careful about the river, don't get caught in it or like Jeb likes to put it 'You won't come back'." He shook his head while grinning, seeming to remember something. "We have it planned when we shower so for right now you can just come when I do."

"Are you offering me to bathe with you?" I joked with a smirk.

Before he could answer someone else did. "If he isn't I will." Kyle emerged from the doorway. Jared snorted. "And besides he doesn't have eyes for anyone else, sweetheart." I wanted to know who this else was. Did she live here? I would have already met her then. I scanned through my thoughts trying to figure out who Jared might have shown affection toward. He didn't seem too snug with any girl when we first arrived. I must have been wrong about that.

Jared regarded Kyle stiffly, "I'm sure she'll probably pass on _that_ offer."

"I was just putting it out there." Kyle winked.

I cleared my throat, not wanting to pay any attention to his _friendly_ suggestion. "Is there any way to get something to eat?"

"Oh yeah, we met in a food store. You must be hungry." Jared said, "Come on. Kitchen next."

We bypassed Kyle who never took his eyes off me and made our way to the kitchen. We both had leftovers from dinner earlier that night. The pain in my stomach was satisfied and I felt the exhaustion coming.

I yawned, "Damn I'm tired."

Jared smiled; he always seemed to be doing that. "I'm beat too." We headed in the direction I guessed to be _our_ room.

The question was bugging me the whole way; before we went inside I stopped him. "Jared, if you don't mind me asking, who was Kyle talking about when he said anyone else." I instantly regretted asking when his whole body became tense with a blank look on his face.

"My girlfriend." I raised an eyebrow then waited for more, "She isn't here."

When he didn't elaborate I asked, "Where is she?"

His arms crossed over his chest. "What the hell do you think she is if she isn't here?" I froze at his choice of words and his tone. How could I be so stupid? She wasn't here as in the cave community. She was taken over by a soul. He face softened when he saw my face, no doubt my cheeks red and my eyes shamefully terrified. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to talk to you like that. It's difficult- talking about _her_."

I nodded. I understood that. At first any thoughts of my family made me want to cry but it got better with time.

"How long have you been alone?" His question surprised me.

"6 years."

Sympathy was laced with his next words, "That must have been hard."

"It wasn't easy but I did what I had to do. Everyone I knew was gone and I just never found anyone else. At first it killed me, to not have the daily interactions. I figured it would get better the more I spent time alone but I was wrong. Every day it became worse and I found myself begging the universe for a touch." My hand rubbed my upper arm unconsciously. "To feel the warmth of another's skin near mine." I took a step toward Jared. "Maybe a hand to hold." My hand found his; I stared down at them intertwined. The burning sensation made me realize I was crying. "I hated it _just as much_ as I hated myself for not being caught with my family. I shouldn't be here now. Another should have my body in their control."

I looked up to see the shocked expression on his face. "You can't mean that. You're one of the lucky ones to still have freedom." He shook his head at the idea of being captured.

Were we really that lucky? I felt like giving up most of the time. But being here gave me hope to something better. "Maybe."

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**I actually really liked writing this. Please review and give me your thoughts!**

**Till next time xoxo.**


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